Queen's Funeral Became One Of Most Watched Live Events On TV In UK History - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2022) The state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, which took place in Westminster Abbey on September 19, was one of the most viewed events in the history of the United Kingdom that were broadcast live, with over 26 million people watching it, media reported on Wednesday.

On September 8, Queen Elizabeth II, who ruled the kingdom and 14 Commonwealth realms for over 70 years, died at the age of 96. Her eldest son, Charles III, was officially proclaimed the new UK king.

The number of people tuning into the funeral live was record high in the UK since March 2020 when around 27.1 million people watched the address of then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, according to The Times newspaper.

At least 95% of the available television audience watched the funeral live, with millions more gathering in parks and other places to follow the commemoration of the Queen either on big screens or in person, which could make the event one of the most watched in UK's history, the news oullet said.

The funeral took place on September 19 and was attended by members of the royal family and world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Following an official ceremony in Westminster Abbey in London, the traditional place of coronation and a burial site for English and British monarchs, a private funeral service was held. The deceased monarch was buried alongside her husband, Prince Philip. The queen's parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, and her sister, Princess Margaret, whose body was cremated in accordance with her wishes, were also laid to rest in the same chapel.